• Tract Tracing
• Viral gene transfer
• Histology
• Immunohistochemistry
• Optogenetics
• Microscopy

• Comparative analysis of neuronal foundations of higher cognition
• Action selection and action control
• Anatomy, physiology and function of the avian hippocampus 

• Neuroanatomy seminar “The Painting and Crafts Workshop of the human brain” (SS 2021 – SS 2026)
• Accompanying seminar to the lecture Evolution & Emotion (SS 2025)
• Accompanying seminar to the lecture Learning (WS 2024/25)

     Empirical-experimental internships:

• Neuroanatomy of the avian brain (WS 2021/22 – SS 2026)
• Neuroanatomy and histology (WS 2020/21 – SS 2021)
• Brain Lateralisation in humans and animals (WS 2019/20 - SS 2020)
• Neuroanatomy and histology (SS 2017 – SS 2019)
• Extinction learning in pigeons (SS 2016, SS 2017)
• Neuroanatomy and histology (SS 2016)

2026

• Tuff, J. M., Haselhuhn, K., Surdin, T., Herlitze, S., Ziegler, M., Güntürkün, O., & Rook, N. (2026). Achieving cell-type specific transduction with adeno-associated viral vectors in pigeons. Current Research in Neurobiology, 100157.
• Albayrak, D., Gencturk, S., Haselhuhn, K. B., Sevinc, C., Güntürkün, O., Behroozi, M., Rook, N.* & Unal, G.* (2026). Featured Cover: Cover Image, Volume 534, Issue 4. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 534(4), e70159
• Albayrak, D., Gencturk, S., Haselhuhn, K. B., Sevinc, C., Güntürkün, O., Behroozi, M., Rook, N.*, & Unal, G.* (2026). Dopaminergic Innervation of the Nidopallium Caudolaterale in the Japanese Quail. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 534(4), e70154

2025

• Steinemer, A., Ziegler, M., Haselhuhn, K., Güntürkün, O., & Rook, N. (2025). The Distribution of Nitric Oxide‐Synthesizing Neurons and Soluble Guanylate Cyclase in Relation to Dopaminergic Systems in the Pigeon Brain. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 533(10), e70095
• Haselhuhn, K., Flaim, M., & Rook, N. (2025). An Age-Related Increase in the Quantity of Lipofuscin Present in the Pigeon Brain. Available at SSRN 5014626.

2024

• Steinemer, A., Simon, A., Güntürkün, O., & Rook, N. (2024). Parallel executive pallio‐motor loops in the pigeon brain. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 532(4), e25611
• Serir, A., Tuff, J. M., Rook, N., Fongaro, E., Schreiber, T., Peus, E., Güntürkün, O., Manahan-Vaughan, D., Rose, J., & Pusch, R. (2024). Balanced anesthesia in pigeons (Columba livia): a protocol that ensures stable vital parameters and feasibility during long surgeries in cognitive neuroscience. Frontiers in Physiology, 15, 1437890. 

2023

• Rook, N., Stacho, M., Schwarz, A., Bingman, V. P., & Güntürkün, O. (2023). Neuronal circuits within the homing pigeon hippocampal formation. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 531(7), 790-813

2022

• Kobylkov, D., Musielak, I., Haase, K., Rook, N., von Eugen, K., Dedek, K., Güntürkün, O., Mouritsen, H., & Heyers, D. (2022). Morphology of the “prefrontal” nidopallium caudolaterale in the long-distance nightmigratory Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla). Neuroscience Letters, 789, 136869.

2021

• Rook, N., Tuff, J. M., Packheiser, J., Güntürkün, O., & Beste, C. (2021). A hierarchical processing unit for multi-component behavior in the avian brain. iScience, 103195.
• Rook, N., Tuff, J. M., Isparta, S., Masseck, O. A., Herlitze, S., Güntürkün, O., & Pusch, R. (2021). AAV1 is the optimal viral vector for optogenetic experiments in pigeons (Columba livia). Communications Biology, 4(1), 1-16.
• Packheiser, J., Berretz, G., Rook, N., Bahr, C., Schockenhoff, L., Güntürkün, O., & Ocklenburg, S. (2021). Investigating real-life emotions in romantic couples: a mobile EEG study. Scientific reports, 11(1), 1-12.

2020

• Billings, B. K., Bhagwandin, A., Patzke, N., Ngwenya, A., Rook, N., von Eugen, K., Tabrik, S., Güntürkün, O., & Manger, P. R. (2020). Nuclear organization and morphology of catecholaminergic neurons and certain pallial terminal networks in the brain of the Nile crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus. Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy, 109, 101851.
• Stacho, M., Herold, C., Rook, N., Wagner, H., Axer, M., Amunts, K., & Güntürkün, O. (2020). A cortex-like canonical circuit in the avian forebrain. Science, 369(6511).
• Rook, N., Letzner, S., Packheiser, J., Güntürkün, O., & Beste, C. (2020). Immediate early gene fingerprints of multi-component behaviour. Scientific reports, 10(1), 1-13.

2019

• Packheiser, J.*, Rook, N.*, Dursun, Z., Mesenhöller, J., Wenglorz, A., Güntürkün, O., & Ocklenburg, S. (2019). Embracing your emotions: affective state impacts lateralisation of human embraces.Psychological research, 83(1), 26-36.

2018

• Ocklenburg, S., Packheiser, J., Schmitz, J., Rook, N., Güntürkün, O., Peterburs, J., & Grimshaw, G. M. (2018). Hugs and kisses–The role of motor preferences and emotional lateralization for hemispheric asymmetries in human social touch. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 95, 353-360.

*Equal contribution

• Haselhuhn, K., Ziegler, M., Güntürkün, O., Rook, N. (2025). Calcium-binding protein expression differentiates between primary input areas of the DVR and the visual Wulst in pigeons (Columba livia). 54th annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, USA
• Ziegler*, M., Hidalgo Gadea*, G., Tuff, J., Inda, M., Pusch, R., Otto, T., Rose, J., Güntürkün°, O., Rook°, N. (2025). Neuronal signature of spatial memory in the hippocampus of homing pigeons. 35th International Congress of the Spanish Society for Comparative Psychology, San Sebastian, Spain
• Tuff, J., Haselhuhn, K., Surdin, T., Herlitze, S., Ziegler, M., Güntürkün, O., Rook, N. (2024). Achieving cell-type specific transduction with adeno-associated viral vectors in pigeons. 53rd annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA
• Ziegler*, M., Hidalgo Gadea*, G., Tuff, J., Inda, M., Pusch, R., Otto, T., Rose, J., Güntürkün°, O., Rook°, N. (2024). Neuronal signature of spatial memory in the hippocampus of homing pigeons. 53rd annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA
• Haselhuhn, K., Ziegler, M., Güntürkün, O., Rook, N. (2024). Calcium-binding protein expression differentiates between primary input areas of the DVR and the visual Wulst in pigeons (Columba livia). 53rd annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA
• Tuff, J., Maldarelli, G., Packheiser, J., Pusch, R., Rook, N., Güntürkün, O. (2024). Single cell correlates of multitasking in higher associative areas of the pigeon brain. 53rd annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA
• Hidalgo Gadea, G., Möser, S., Tuff, J, Flaim, M., Matsui, H., Güntürkün*, O., Rook*, N. (2024), PigeonPose: An integrated Pipeline for Markerless 3D Tracking of Pigeon Behavior. FENS Forum 2024, Vienna, Austria.
• Tuff, J., Haselhuhn, K., Surdin, T., Herlitze, S., Ziegler, M., Güntürkün, O., Rook, N. (2024). Achieving cell-type specific transduction with adeno-associated viral vectors in pigeons. FENS Forum 2024, Vienna, Austria.
• Ziegler*, M., Hidalgo Gadea*, G., Tuff, J., Inda, M., Pusch, R., Otto, T., Rose, J., Güntürkün°, O., Rook°, N. (2024). Neuronal signature of spatial memory in the hippocampus of homing pigeons. FENS Forum 2024, Vienna, Austria.
• Tuff, J., Maldarelli, G., Packheiser, J., Pusch, R., Rook, N., Güntürkün, O. (2024). Single cell correlates of multitasking in higher associative areas of the pigeon brain. FENS Forum 2024, Vienna, Austria.
• Steinemer, A., Simon, A., Güntürkün, O., Rook, N. (2022). The organization of motor-related projections of the caudolateral nidopallium in pigeons (Columba livia). 51st annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, USA, Poster #: 636.09
• Haselhuhn, K., Tuff, J., Güntürkün, O., Rook, N. (2022). Anatomical characterization of the medial nidopallium/mesopallium of pigeons (Columba livia). 51st annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, USA, Poster #: 388.10
• Hidalgo Gadea, G*., Rook, N.*, Ludwig, V., Li, M., Inda, M., Tuff, J.M,,Otto, T., Pusch, R., Güntürkün, O. (2022). 3D Tracking of freely moving pigeons reveals behavioral differences during space and color discrimination tasks. 51st annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, USA, Poster #: 240.05
• Reichert, R., Rook, N.*, Güntürkün, O.* (2022). Optogenetic manipulation of the ventral tegmental area in the context of extinction learning using pigeons. 51st annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, USA, Poster #: 240.07
• Rook, N., Tuff, J.M., Isparta, S., Masseck, O., Herlitze, S., Güntürkün, O., Pusch, R. (2020) Establishing optogenetics in pigeons on a histological, physiological and behavioral level. IGSN/SFB 1280/BIOME Conference: Extinction Learning, RUB, Bochum, Germany
• Rook, N., Tuff, J.M., Isparta, S., Masseck, O., Herlitze, S., Güntürkün, O., Pusch, R. (2019). Establishing optogenetics in pigeons on a histological, physiological and behavioral level. IGSN/SFB 874 conference: Molecular and Neural Correlates of Memory and Cognition, RUB, Bochum, Germany
• Rook, N., Tuff, J.M., Isparta, S., Masseck, O., Herlitze, S., Güntürkün, O., Pusch, R. (2018). Establishing optogenetics in pigeons on a histological, physiological and behavioral level. 48th annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience 2018, San Diego, CA, USA
• Rook, N., Stacho, M., Schwarz, A., Bingman, V.P., Güntürkün, O. (2018) Intrinsic connectivity of the hippocampal formation of pigeons: an In vitro tracing study. 11th FENS Forum of Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany
• Rook, N., Tuff, J.M., Isparta, S., Masseck, O., Herlitze, S., Güntürkün, O., Pusch, R. (2018). Establishing optogenetics in pigeons on a histological, physiological and behavioral level. IGSN/SFB 1280/BIOME Conference: Extinction Learning: neural, behavioural, ontogenetic, educational, and clinical mechanisms, RUB, Bochum, Germany.
• Rook, N., Tuff, J.M., Isparta, S., Masseck, O., Herlitze, S., Güntürkün, O., Pusch, R. (2018). Establishing optogenetics in pigeons on a histological, physiological and behavioral level. Avian Cognitive Neuroscience Conference, RUB, Bochum, Germany
• Rook, N., Stacho, M., Schwarz, A., Bingman, V.P., Güntürkün, O (2017) Intrinsic connectivity of the hippocampal formation of pigeons: an In vitro tracing study. Space, Memory and Evolution – The Comparative View on the Hippocampus Conference, RUB, Bochum, Germany
• Rook, N., Stacho, M., Schwarz, A., Bingman, V.P., Güntürkün, O (2017) Intrinsic connectivity of the hippocampal formation of pigeons: an In vitro tracing study. SFB 874/IGSN Conference: The Sense of Memory: Integration and Representation of Sensory Processes, RUB, Bochum, Germany
• Rook, N., Stacho, M., Schwarz, A., Bingman, V.P., Güntürkün, O (2016) Intrinsic connectivity of the hippocampal formation of pigeons: an In vitro tracing study. 46th annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, USA

• Host at Comparative Imaging conference, RUB, Bochum, Germany. 27th -29th May 2019
• Host at Space, Memory and Evolution – The Comparative View on the Hippocampus Conference, RUB, Bochum, Germany. 10th - 12th July 2017
• Co-host at SFB 874/IGSN Conference: The Sense of Memory: Integration and Representation of Sensory Processes, RUB, Bochum, Germany. 24th- 25th April 2017